Exodos - Discussing Departure with Moses
“And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:30-31)
The spectacle of the transfiguration took place atop a high mountain, traditionally believed to be either Mount Tabor or Mount Hermon.
Several Gospel accounts have Yeshua in Caesarea Phillipi just prior (recall our reflection a few weeks ago at the Gates of Hades) which is located at the base of Mount Hermon, so let’s consider that to be our location for the sake of this post.
Christ ascended the mountain with John, Peter, and James, a predictably eerie and bone-chilling 2-3 hour hike to the highest point in Israel. Just like the Gates of Hades down low, this was a dismal place of pagan worship, not to mention the irony that the Rabbi wanted to go “up on the mountain to pray” (Luke 9:28).
But then it happened, something staggering and unspeakable. Bright lights and colors, the altering of their teacher’s clothes and facial appearance, and the sudden arrival - as if out of nowhere - of Moses and Elijah.
It was glorious, yet in their time of communing, they begin to speak of what? Yeshua’s departure.
The Greek word for departure here is exodos (sound familiar?).
After Peter had just identified Yeshua as God incarnate, and right before Yeshua would begin his pilgrimage back to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, we behold the marvelous scene of Christ standing on a blasphemous summit discussing exodos with Moses, the one whom God spoke through to initiate the exodus of Egypt.
But this time, God was not speaking through a mere prophet. God - as Peter had acknowledged - had come himself to lead all people into freedom. Our Maker was instigating a 2nd Exodus.
This 2nd Exodus would free mankind fully from sin and death and every form of spiritual bondage abusing and tormenting their bodies and souls and spirits. Rabbi Yeshua would offer himself as the Passover lamb, and all who followed him would, like the Red Sea, pass through his cleansing and liberating blood.
Moses did not get to see the Land of Milk and Honey except from a distance before his successor, Joshua, stepped in (remember the importance of his name). Yet now, shining in majesty, this prophet of the Torah was beholding his God preparing to lead his people into an even greater land - the Kingdom of God - as he displayed his supremacy over all other gods in the very place where all other gods were worshipped.
Today, we follow Rabbi Yeshua as pilgrims in a new and better exodus, departing the oppressive systems of the world and releasing our chains of darkness, inviting all who would join us as we seek first this kingdom of shalom.
